Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Bruce was born in Albert Park Victoria on 12 August 1922. His parents were Henry Wheeler Roach and Emily Victoria Matilda Roach (nee McCurdy).

Bruce served with both the Australian Army and the RAAF during World War II.
In the Army, he served as a Private in the militia with the 5th Battalion (Victorian Scottish Regiment) from 20 October 1940 to 1 February 1941. The 5th Battalion was tasked with garrison duties in Australia.

Bruce enlisted in the RAAF in Melbourne on 4 February 1941 for service at home or abroad as a Clerk General. Initially he served at Air Force Headquarters (AFHQ) in Melbourne. Prior to his enlistment, Bruce had been a junior clerk at Manton & Sons Pty Ltd.

On 25 September 1941, Bruce was posted to No 1 Elementary Flying School – RAAF (1 EFTS) based at Parafield in South Australia. On 1 April 1942, while serving with No 1 Elementary Flying School Australia, he received a promotion to the rank of Corporal.

Bruce rejoined AFHQ in Melbourne on 29 April 1942. It was while serving with this headquarters unit that he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant (SGT) on 1 December 1942.

On 1 March 1943, Bruce joined the then newly formed No 84 Squadron at Richmond, NSW.

No. 84 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) fighter squadron during World War II. It was established in February 1943 and was part of the defences of the Torres Strait area from April 1943 until May 1944 based at Horn Island off the tip of Cape York,. Initially equipped with CAC Boomerang fighter aircraft; these proved unsuitable for high altitude interception and were replaced by Curtis P-40 Kittyhawks in September 1943.

On 27 March 1943, Bruce was moved to Cairns before embarking for Horn Island where he on 1 April 1943 disembarked and joined 84 SQN which was then based on the airfield located there. Horn Island had the notoriety of being, after Darwin, the second most bombed area of Australia by the Japanese in World War II. One of the raids on Horn Island occurred on 17 June 1943 while Bruce was stationed there.
Bruce married an ex- member of the RAAF, namely Aircraft Woman (ACW) Isobel Macdonald, on 5 April 1943.

Bruce joined 12 SQN at Merauke airfield in Dutch New Guinea on 9 September 1943. Earlier, on 12 July 1943, 12SQN had moved to Merauke airfield to undertake anti-submarine patrols, convoy escorts and missions in concert with the Australian Army. The unit was renamed 12 (Dive Bomber SQN) after being reequipped with Vultee Vengeance Aircraft.

Bruce returned to Australia and joined No 1 Reserve Personnel Pool RAAF (1RP)
at Aitkenville near Townsville in Queensland on 16 April 1944.

Bruce was transferred to No 6 RAAF Hospital (6 Hosp) on 31 May 1944. This unit operated as a section of the Army’s 115th General Hospital in Heidelberg and offered care and rehabilitation for veterans returning from active service.

Bruce spent his last days of active service at No 1 Personnel Depot which was part of the RAAF Ransford unit operating out of the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It was from here that he was discharged on 27 August 1944.

Bruce died in 1988 survived by his wife and five children and is buried at Portarlington Cemetery in Victoria alongside his wife.

Honours & Awards:

• 1939-1945 Star
• Pacific Star
• War Medal 1939-1945
• Australia Service medal